Descendant
of a Cherokee shaman, Dyam is one of the vampire king’s personal guards and
closest advisers. He has seen the worst of mankind and has vowed to stay away
from personal entanglements and focus on serving his king.

However, his
resolve is shaken when Naiah, the water witch, finds her way into the busy
vampire castle’s life and straight into his heart. But before he can nurture
his feelings for her, she is killed in battle, causing Dyam to return to his
self-imposed seclusion for good.

Little
does he know that Naiah has been brought back to life by his kind’s most nefarious
enemies. She is their ultimate weapon in a final battle that will rupture not
only the balance of the supernatural world, but Dyam’s loyalty to his race.

On this launch weekend, from Friday, April 29 to Sunday, May
1, the latest novel in the Dragon Heat series, BLOOD CURSE, will be FREE on iTunes,
Kobo, Barnes & Noble, ARE & Smashwords.

To celebrate the release of yet another book in the series,
DRAGON HEAT (Book 1) is completely free of charge on iTunes, Kobo,

Barnes &
Noble, ARE & Smashwords, and it’s just 99¢ on Amazon.

My Review:

Dyam
was heartbroken by Naiah’s death and can’t seem to keep from thinking about
her. When he goes to the mouth of a volcano to investigate a strange blade
seemingly created from the ash of a volcano, he even imagines that he sees
Naiah there. Convinced, she is a sister witch who looks like Naiah, he
accompanies Zoricah and Yara back to the witch village for information
regarding the prophecy pertaining to Z’s daughter, but there they discover the
Emerald Lake empty and all of the witch inmas flowers destroyed…Naiah’s red
blossom is missing.

When
Dyam learns the truth, that Naiah has been resurrected as the Phoenix, he knows
the sweet Naiah that he loves is still in there. He’s willing to risk his own
life to prove it, and to save her…something he failed to do the first time.

BLOOD
CURSE by Ella J. Phoenix is the fifth book in the Dragon Heat series and the
final chapter…and it does not disappoint. The final book in the series which
started with the love between a dragon and a vampire is exciting, edge of the
seat, and sexy as only to be expected from Ella J. Phoenix. There were times I
didn’t think this could end well but Ella doesn’t disappoint and even leads us
into her next series, which has the working title - Sons of Apa Sâmbetei –
coming out next year. I’m very excited about it.

Creating
a unique world of strange creatures, dangerous enemies, intrigue, and kings,
queens, and gods, Ella gives us all of it, and never more so than in BLOOD
CURSE. We’re treated to myths and legends, love that can’t even be destroyed by
death, and the man who won’t quit until he proves that even the most dangerous
of creatures can be good.

I
highly recommend reading BLOOD CURSE by Ella J. Phoenix. If you haven’t read
this amazing series from the beginning, please do. Even if you’re not into
paranormal romance, you might just be surprised at how quickly and almost
addictively, you become enamored of the amazing characters you meet within the
pages of the Dragon Heat series. This story rocks with an ending that will just make you want more.

I
was just nine years old when I discovered my passion for the paranormal world.
That passion led me to a bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts where I had my
first taste in writing, conjuring children’s plays and re-writing Shakespearean
masterpieces to suit the modern times (Yes, he’s still cringing in his grave).

After
years traveling around the world, translating other people's novels and
devouring paranormal romances, I realized the real world wasn't fun without a
touch of magic, and decided to purge my own crazy stories into paper, well,
into word doc, to be more precise.

My
busy life with a demanding full-time job and a very loving husband (I'm so not
complaining!) don't allow me much spare time, but somehow every night I find
myself in front of the computer, exorcising the millions of stories stored in
my sanity-challenged mind.

My
novels are tales of love and passion between strong female leads and hot
heroes, bathed in paranormal magic, of course.

I
live in Sydney, Australia, the land of koalas (which are not bears), kangaroos
(which are not boxing champions), and Vegemite (a black spread that should have
never been invented. Seriously, don’t try it).

Mainly
because I met my husband is a true destiny-knocking-on-your-door kind of
situation

I’m
a frustrated actress who found her spotlight in singing

I’m
a frustrated singer who found her voice in writing

I’m
addicted to awesome paranormal romance as much as you are

One Minute with Ella J.
Phoenix:

1.Where do you do most of
your writing?

In my guest bedroom/home office, away
from everything else.

2.Who are your favorite
authors?

Oh,
they are so many! Jane Austen, Nahili Singh, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Christine
Feehan, and all the great indie authors out there!

3.What's the one genre you
absolutely will NOT write about? Why?

I
never say never, but “Self Help” books are not my thing.

4.Do you use people you
know as characters? And do you tell them if you do?

Maybe
and maybe… but you’ll never know. :)

5.Have you had any creepy
fan experience yet?

No,
not creepy, but I’ve had a few fans contacting me on Facebook as they read my
novels. It was awesome to experience their journey through the story with them.
It’s the best compliment an author can have in my opinion.

6.Does your family know
about ALL the books/stories you've written, or are you keeping a few hidden?

My
immediate family are my biggest fans. But unfortunately, sex is still a taboo
in many communities, including mine. Not everyone understands how liberating a
good erotic romance can be. Maybe one day we’ll be able to share our stories
without the fear of retaliation and hypocritical judgement.

7.Last, but not least, is
there anything you would like to say to your fans?

I
write because I have a million stories and characters in my mind. It’s my
therapy, my escape from reality, my happy place. Without you, my fans, I would
be just a crazy woman locked in a boring day job or in a mental institution.
So, thank you for your support and I hope my novels bring magic into your days as
much as they bring to mine.

MARKS FIVE YEARS OF UNPRECEDENTED ACHIEVEMENT IN CULTIVATING FUTURE STARS

New York, NY; April 28, 2016 – This is a momentous year for Avon, the iconic romance imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. The year marks not only the 75th anniversary of Avon Books, widely acclaimed for popularizing the historical romance category, but also celebrates the fifth year for the Avon Impulse digital-first imprint. Today, Avon is an acclaimed (or illustrious?) publishing powerhouse, renowned for nurturing the careers of the best and brightest authors in the romance industry, in large part due to the success of the Impulse program. Avon Impulse is a thriving brand with a proven aptitude for cultivating future stars of the genre.

For its fifth anniversary, Avon Impulse has much to celebrate:

·4 million e-books sold

·12 New York Times bestsellers

·32 USA Today bestsellers

·16 award nominations, including the prestigious RWA “RITA” award

Editor Amanda Bergeron, who directs the Impulse line, remarks, “The success of the Impulse program runs deep: we’ve published hundreds of books, with millions of copies sold. Avon Impulse has served as the launch pad for many authors’ careers, developing loyal reader bases and growing author awareness through strategic promotions. And in many cases, Impulse has launched talented authors onto the Avon print list.”

"Avon Impulse originated HarperCollins’ digital-first publishing platform, which we’ve since expanded with Witness Impulse (mysteries and thrillers) and Voyager Impulse (science fiction/fantasy),” says Senior Vice President and Publisher Liate Stehlik. “Digital-first is a vital component in strategically growing new authors, and extending the visibility of our existing author base.” She continues, “Readers have also responded strongly to our Impulse offerings – and our authors are so happy with their results that they have become the strongest advocates for the Impulse brand."

“Publishing with Avon Impulse has been an amazing experience,” says Jennifer Ryan, who was the first Avon Impulse author to hit the New York Times list with her debut, Saved by the Rancher. “Between editorial, marketing and publicity, every detail is well thought out for each and every book, but it’s never about just one book. They think about the overall career of the author and what their readers want and expect.”

HarperCollins Publishers is the second largest consumer book publisher in the world, with operations in 18 countries. With nearly two hundred years of history and more than 120 branded imprints around the world, HarperCollins publishes approximately 10,000 new books every year in 17 languages, and has a print and digital catalog of more than 200,000 titles. Writing across dozens of genres, HarperCollins authors include winners of the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals and the Man Booker Prize. HarperCollins, headquartered in New York, is a subsidiary of News Corp (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) and can be visited online at corporate.HC.com.

Monday, April 18, 2016

A friend recommended
WORTH IT ALL by Claudia Connor just when NetGalley sent me a suggestion for
reading it. It was as if the fates were conspiring that I should read this one,
so I did. The fates were right.

***eARC
provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unscripted
review

Blurb for WORTH IT ALL:

Now the swoon-worthy McKinney Brothers series from this
bestselling author continues as JT, the youngest of the trio, discovers that
only love can make him whole.

She’s fighting for
control. . .Paige Roberts learned to fend for herself growing up. Now
she’s doing everything possible to give her daughter, Casey, the stability she
never had. But when the vivacious five-year-old decides she’s done wearing her
prosthesis, Paige faces her toughest challenge yet: trusting a handsome,
brooding stranger who simply wants to help.

He’s struggling to
connect. . .JT McKinney lost more than his leg in a car accident that
stole his dreams of pro football. Eight years later, he's made a new life for
himself far away from his old one. His business is developing cutting-edge
prosthetics and he’s more than happy to turn his attention to machines instead
of people. Still, he can’t shake the feeling that something’s missing.

Will they take a chance
on love? . . . When JT gets the chance to help Paige’s daughter, he takes
it. He never planned on the two of them tearing down his walls or teaching him
to believe in himself again. Paige might not believe in happily ever afters,
but JT wants more than anything to be her prince. They’ll both have to let go
of the past if they want a future.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Since
I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, I hadn’t met Jake McKinney
before WORTH IT ALL. He’s the youngest of the McKinney boys and had dreams of
playing football professionally until an unfortunate car accident stole those
dreams, and his leg. Eight years has passed since then, he’s moved to California
and started a business developing amazing prosthetics for others like him. Jake
gets much satisfaction from helping others and although, his work satisfies
him, he’s lonely even while intrigued with the pretty waitress at his favorite
diner. But when his life becomes entwined with hers, and another very special lady,
his life changes but will it be for the better?

Paige
Roberts has dealt with some bad
things in her life but loves her little girl, Casey, more than anything in the
world. She wants her daughter's life to be very different from her own. She wants her to
feel safe, and confident. When her little girl decides she doesn’t want to wear
her prosthetic, it’s a handsome, and rather brooding, man who changes her mind.
Paige feels herself drawn to Jake but her hesitations, fears, and belief that
there is no such as a happily-ever-after has her holding back.

I
had a little trouble getting into the story at first. I don’t know if that was
because I hadn’t read the other books or because it just wasn’t resonating with
me, but once I did I began to fall in love. I have to say that the real star of
WORTH IT ALL is little Casey Roberts. She is the most adorable, precocious, and
real fictional child in a romance that I’ve ever encountered. Her connection to
Jake is one that I would like to have seen more of in terms of Paige’s connection
to him, but I enjoyed it all the same.

WORTH
IT ALL, book three in the McKinney Brothers series by Claudia Connor is a
sweet, heart breaking at times contemporary romance that has me adding the rest
of the series to my ever-growing TBR list. I just have to experience the rest
of the McKinney brothers after falling somewhat in love with Jake. He’s everything
we’d like to see exist in real men but know can’t really. He’s funny, he’s
sensitive, he’s sexy as hell, and even when he’s brooding, there’s a caring,
inquisitive side to him that makes him special and intelligent. I love the
story-line being that there are so many who have lost limbs through tragedy and
military action. I love that Claudia gave us a look at the feelings and worries
of those who use prosthetics, and those who in turn worry about them. Jake is patient
with Casey, as well as with Paige. As if sensing that Paige is fighting her own
demons, he gives her similar time and patience with a much different result. He’s
such a wonderful romance hero.

I
highly recommend WORTH IT ALL by Claudia Connor to anyone who loves a truly
sweet, timely, sensitive, and well-written contemporary romance. I’m so glad
this one came across my radar. It was definitely WORTH IT ALL to read.

Friday, April 15, 2016

People
always say it’s what’s on the inside that matters. If that’s the case, I’m
screwed. On the outside, everything looks put together — blonde hair, blue
eyes, tall and lean. By society’s standards, I’d be considered attractive. But
f*ck society, I know what I am. I know what I’m made of. The recessive genes
that reared their heads and created a decent looking package on the outside
don’t make me who I am. What about all the evil lurking inside? What about all
the other parts of me that aren’t so easy to see? Some of the most beautiful
animals are also the deadliest. Take the polar bear, for example. Cute and
cuddly on the outside, but it’s really a predator that will bite your f*cking
head off. That’s a dangerous combination.

And that’s
exactly like me, exactly who I am. Bad — and once you go bad, you can never go
back.

WARNING:
This book deals with the harsh reality of rape that could be upsetting for some
readers.

Prescott’s Letter to Her
Readers:

Rape. Just typing that word makes my gut
tie up in knots. And that’s part of the problem. Because it’s so uncomfortable,
we don’t want to talk about it. So it gets buried at the bottom of the newsfeed
or forgotten altogether, like the backlog of untested rape kits.

Last March, I released Quiet
Angel in which the heroine is a survivor of childhood sexual assault. A
few weeks later, my husband became gravely ill, and we spent the rest of the
year (5 long hospital stays and 4 long surgeries) fighting to regain his
health. As I sat in the hospital chair next to his bed night after night, I got
messages from women about how my book touched them. Some shared their reasons,
and others didn’t.

I came to learn that April is Sexual
Assault Awareness Month. How could I not know that? I’d just released a book on
the very topic. Yet I didn’t see one post about it on any of my social media
accounts.

Early this year, I began
writing Layers of Her with the intent to spread awareness and donate
all of April's profits to charity. I was nervous when I started, and I still
am. I mean, how much will the profits be? Will readers assume I’m a survivor or
I know one? Will I do the topic justice? Why am I doing this? It’s a whole lot
easier to stay silent. But that’s the whole problem, isn’t it?

I work in a field, in the genre of
fiction, that is mostly comprised of women, where sexual assault is one of the
most common tropes. And with each passing page, we pull for our broken heroes
and heroines to heal, find love, forge a new path. That's all we want for them.
We need to do the same for the real life heroes and heroines, those brave souls
who fight the real fight every single day. So join me this April in making some
noise to raise awareness, not only for the survivors but for those who love
them.

—Prescott Lane

From Amy: There will be a blog tour for LAYERS OF HER the last week in April but I wanted to help Prescott get the word out sooner. I hope you'll all join her in helping to raise awareness. Thank you. xoAbout the
Author:

Prescott
Lane is the author of FIRST POSITION, PERFECTLY BROKEN, QUIET ANGEL, and
WRAPPED IN LACE. She is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and holds a
degree in sociology and a MSW from Tulane University. She married her
college sweetheart, and they currently live in New Orleans with their two
children and two crazy dogs. Prescott started writing at the age of five, and
sold her first story about a talking turtle to her father for a quarter. She
later turned to writing romance novels because there aren’t enough happily ever
afters in real life.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Already a fan of Sophie
Jordan’s historical romances so when I heard she was writing a contemporary
romance with convict heroes, I was a bit hesitant because of the trope but wow,
did she surprise me with ALL CHAINED UP.

Some men come with a
built-in warning label. Knox Callaghan is one of them. Danger radiates from
every lean, muscled inch of him, and his deep blue eyes seem to see right
through to Briar Davis’s most secret fantasies. But there’s one major problem:
Briar is a nurse volunteering at the local prison, and Knox is an inmate who
should be off-limits in every way.

Knox feels it too—a
shocking animal magnetism that drives him to risk his own life to protect
Briar’s. Paroled at last, he tries to resist her. She’s too innocent, too
sweet, and she has no idea what Knox is capable of. But a single touch can lead
to a kiss—and a taste . . . until the only crime is denying what feels so right
. . .

Briar
Davis is a nurse who has volunteered to assist in the med clinic at the local
prison. Her sister warned her that it could be dangerous and she has to admit
that feeling nervous is an understatement especially when one particular inmate
is brought in after a fight. Knox Callaghan is everything her sister warned her
about, and yet Briar can’t keep her eyes off him.

Knox
Callaghan just wants to finish out his sentence, keep himself and his brother
alive until then, and if it means a few broken ribs and another stint in the
hole, so be it. He didn’t expect a sweet innocent nurse who smells of peaches
to derail it all. When he finds out that a couple of the inmates are determined
to hijack the med clinic and have their go at the sweet new meat as they
refer to Briar, he deliberately gets injured to get into the mix before it’s too
late. It also wins him his freedom and when he meets up with Nurse Davis on the
outside, his libido and hers pulls them together in a magnetic, addicting way
that derails both of them.

Knox
Callaghan is hot, hot, hot but honestly, there were times I wanted to kick him
in the backside and tell him to get his act together. Fortunately, someone does
that later so I feel better. Then there’s Briar Davis and well, I wanted to
put extra locks on her door and tell her to get a life but in the end, I was
happy. Once these two were together, they simply burned up the pages and kept
me glued to them.

All
of the characters were substantial and well created, although there were times
when I found the writing a bit lacking…a lot of he did this, and he did that…she
did this, and she did that…but honestly, the heat melted away my editorial objections. I
do like the way that Sophie introduced a teaser for the next book…no, I’m not
saying a word. This is one you’ll have to read and experience yourselves. And
in saying that…I highly recommend ALL CHAINED UP by Sophie Jordan and don’t say…convicts,
no way…try it, you might just like it. There’s something to be said for a rough
and tough Alpha Male who has interesting ideas about what to do with ice cream.

Happy
Reading Everyone!

ALL
CHAINED UP, a Devil’s Rock novel by Sophie Jordan, Avon Romance, available now
in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

Friday, April 8, 2016

I love dragons so
DRACONES: AWAKENING by Sheri-Lynn Marean sounded like the ideal paranormal
adventure for me to embark upon. As debut novels go, sometimes the writing isn’t
up to par but the story is so imaginative that it can be overlooked somewhat.

***ecopy
provided by author in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for DRACONES –
AWAKENING:

If it
lives, it can die...

For a
thousand years, the Ilyium druids have hunted the Dracones without mercy.

At seven,
in a terrifying moment, Tierney lost her world and fled to Earth, keeping her
true nature secret from humans.

But a
nightmarish past is not easy to escape.

Now, years
later, that truth is abundantly clear every time she looks into the eyes of the
man she secretly loves, seeing a torment that draws her to him even as he
pushes her away.

Jax
battles his desires for Tierney alongside his inner demons, ashamed to speak of
a past he cannot forget.

Frustrated
by her efforts to connect to Jax, Tierney is unprepared when the Ilyium
resurface triggering ancient instincts. Now she and Jax will be tested in ways
they never imagined. Will Tierney and Jax overcome the legacy of their past, or
will it destroy them?

~*~ ~*~
~*~ ~*~

There
are aliens among us. Dracones, a human-like species who after reaching their
Awakening can transform at will into dragons. Tierney is one (although her father is a Fallen Angel), as are her two best friends, Jax and Sami. Together, they all work as
investigators helping to locate missing people. Life hasn’t been easy for any
of them and they fear every day being tracked and found by their enemies, the
Ilyium—the reason they escaped their home planet and came to Earth.

Tierney
has been in love with Jax for as long as she can remember. She’s been his rock
of support through nightmares born of the past and now, with his Awakening coming up
fast, she plans to be there for him again, if he will allow her. She knows she
is his soulmate but Jax is rather stubborn about it.

Jax
feels he must be everyone’s protector and by keeping himself away from Tierney,
physically and emotionally, he is protecting her. Filled with self-hate, doubt
about whether he is worthy of a soulmate as wonderful as Tierney, and unable to
shake the torture his father heaped upon him as a youth, he pushes her away
until he can resist no more—especially when his dragon won’t allow it anymore.

Then with all that's happening, Tierney's father, Zander has gone missing too.

DRACONES: AWAKENING by Sheri-Lynn Marean is Tierney and Jax’s story – a story about how
limitless love can help heal the scars and nightmares of the past. One of the
problems that I had with reading this was I kept getting distracted by
everyone else’s stories as they were pulled into Tierney and Jax’s. I would
like to have seen more concentration on their relationship and the Awakening of
Jax’s dragon with Tierney, knowing hers would be coming soon too. There’s fear
of the Ilyium, fear of Marcius (Jax and Sami’s father), fear of betrayal by the
wolves and other species, and fear of the Awakening. That’s a lot of fear to encounter
in one book.

Sheri-Lynn
has conjured a mysterious and exotic adventure with the Dracones at the center.
We meet many characters besides the immediate family but with so much happening
all at once, I felt the relationship between Tierney and Jax got overshadowed.
There’s always time to tell the other stories in greater detail in their own
books. I do want to know more about the wolves, the other characters, Thaniel, Genna, and Caden, even their enemies. I want
Sami to find his dream girl, and the wolves to find Toren but preferably, not
all at once.

DRACONES: AWAKENING by Sheri-Lynn Marean is action-packed, mysterious, heart wrenching
at times and when treated to the love between Tierney and Jax, passionate.
There’s great imagination behind the Dracones, the Ilyium, and the growing cast
of characters inhabiting the Dracones series. I’m still interested and very
intrigued.

Disappearing
from their dangerous life in Chicago, Ginny and her mother went from riches to
rags by way of a new life in the sleepy, rural suburbs of New York. Under the
illusion of safety, Ginny blossomed into a beautiful young woman with hopes and
dreams for a future her mother was determined she would have.

Lucas
Young, her best friend’s oldest brother, was the dashing hero in all of her
dreams. The man she fantasized about sweeping her off her feet and giving her
the happily ever after she had only heard about in her mother’s fairytales.

Sometimes,
reality wasn’t what we wanted it to be, though.

What would
happen when Ginny found out Lucas wasn’t her Prince Charming after all?
Instead, he was a rough and tumble soldier in extremely tarnished armor who had
a propensity to break her heart.

Maybe
happily ever after wasn’t meant for everyone.

Warning: This is the first book (50,000+ word
novel) in a three-part serial spin-off from the Ex Ops Series. Each of the
three books will feature a piece of Lucas & Ginny's story and leads
directly into the next installment. IN OTHER WORDS, THIS STORY ENDS ON A
CLIFFHANGER. Also, be forewarned their story will make you laugh, cry, and
possibly throw your e-reader at the wall. You've been duly warned!

SECRET
MANEUVERS (Ex Ops #1) - Available Now

STRIPPING
HER DEFENSES (Ex Ops #2) - Available Now

MISSION
DELIVERY (Ex Ops #2.5) - Available Now

SWEET
RECOVERY (Sweet #2/Ex Ops #4) - COMING SOON (May 2016)!

SWEET
ETERNITY (Sweet #3/Ex Ops #5) - COMING SOON (July 2016)!

About the Author:

Jessie
Lane is a best-selling author of Paranormal and Contemporary Romance, as well
as, Upper YA Paranormal Romance/Fantasy.

She
lives in Kentucky with her two little Rock Chicks in-the-making and her over
protective alpha husband that she’s pretty sure is a latent grizzly bear
shifter. She has a passionate love for reading and writing naughty romance,
cliff hanging suspense, and out-of-this-world characters that demand your
attention, or threaten to slap you around until you do pay attention to them.

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